Medical Tax Deduction

May 19, 2010

 

 

Hon. Ted Menzies, MP

4925 1st Street West
P.O. Box 40
Claresholm, Alberta
T0L 0T0

 

 

** MASSAGE THERAPY Should Be An ALLOWABLE MEDICAL EXPENSE **

 

 

I  ________________________    want to deduct Massage Therapy as an  allowable Medical Expense on my 2010 & all future tax returns.  Massage therapy is an invaluable part of my healthy lifestyle. 

 

I receive the following benefits from regular massage therapy treatments: 

  

                  Decreased pain

                  Fewer visits to medical clinics and hospitals

                  Activities of Daily Living are easier for me

                  Increased proactive self care, ie: stretching and exercise

                  Improved Quality of Life

                  Decreased use of over the counter painkillers

                  Increased overall well being

                  I feel that I am more responsible for my overall health

                  Other __________________________________________

 

I will cast my votes for candidates who support a wider access to alternative healthcare modalities including massage therapy.  I wish to see more therapies reflected in our allowable tax deductions. 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

 

__________________________________           

Print Name

__________________________________                _____________________________   

Address                                                                                 Email address

 

cc  Minister of Finance, Hon. James M. Flaherty,  

House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6

Medical Deduction

LETTER CAMPAIGN to make Massage Therapy Tax Deductible

I was shocked to learn that Massage Therapy is not an allowable medical expense for our 2009 taxes, when it WAS allowed in 2008.

How crazy to make massage therapy even less accessible to the many people who need it! This is a step backwards in our efforts to mainstream alternative therapies. We know that massage therapy plays an important role in health care. We need to get this back as a legitimate deduction.

We are the voice of our clients. Let’s flood Parliament with letters from us and all of our clients demanding that massage therapy be allowed as a tax deduction under medical expenses in our 2010 taxes.

Please make copies of the attached letter, http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0Abho-QOn64X8ZGZ6a3h3M3BfMGN0YnR3NmM2&hl=en Ask each client fill in their name and address and mail one copy to their local MP and another copy to our Finance Minister Jim Flaterly.

Use this handy website to find your local Member of Parliament based on your postal code: http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Compilations/HouseOfCommons/MemberByPostalCode.aspx?Menu=HOC

We can make a difference. Restoring massage therapy as a tax deduction under Medical Expenses brings us closer to all insurance companies covering massage therapy and closer to being included under provincial healthcare coverage.

Muscle Origin & Insertion Worksheet

To the Mount Royal University Arthrology class, here is a simple spreadsheet that makes studying the muscles a little easier: Muscle Worksheet

Massage Therapists benefit from knowing the Origin, Insertion and Action of the major muscles.

Hand Stretch

Hands can cramp when overworked and tired. Our hands are our tools. They're constantly working. In roping cattle, many throws are directed by the hand's position on release. Keep hands and limber enough to completely open your palm and stretch out your fingers when you need to.

FLAT HAND STRETCH: Place both hands on a table or any flat surface. Press evenly through your palms and feel the pull through the length of each finger as you stretch them out. Do not bend your wrist past 90 degrees. Just focus on flattening the knuckles evenly into the table.

Dupeytren's Contracture

Stretch to avoid or slow scar tissue forming in the hands which will severely limit use of the hand. Dupeytren's Contracture is a disease where the membranes in the palm slowly contract, pull the fingers closed making it difficult to completely open the hand.

Surgery is the final treatment, but still not the cure since it usually returns calling for repeat surgery. Therefore self treatment is crucial to maintaining the heath and use of your hand. Stretch and myofascial massage are excellent self care techniques.

Roping Stretch: 4. Tricep Stretch

Finally stretch deeper into your shoulder by letting one hand fall down your back by bending the elbow. Then add gentle traction either with the opposite hand on the elbow or by using a rope to pull the forearm down. Repeat with the opposite arm. This opens the shoulder even further by stretching the triceps and latissimus dorsi muscles.

Stretch only as far as you can feel slight discomfort but no pain. Don’t force it and don’t bounce. Hold each stretch for 3 – 5 slow breaths. Repeat 3 times every day and you’ll see fast improvements. With looser muscles and greater range of motion, you’ll notice easier swings and longer throws. You’ll be able to rope more often with less soreness.

Roping Stretch: 3. Overhead Stretch

Next keeping the arms extended, raise your arms above your head. This allows your should blade to move outward. You should feel it at the back of your armpit.